SANCTIFYING OFFICE
Cardinal Aguiar Retes celebrates Holy Mass every Sunday at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is broadcast on television throughout the country. He celebrates the Holy Mass with reverence and ensures that the liturgy is dignified and solemn. The cardinal’s homilies generally treat religious themes without delving into sociology and politics, as is often the case with Latin American bishops. In his recourse to Scripture, the cardinal reveals himself to be a spiritual person and particularly devoted to the Virgin Mary. His preaching often touches on key elements of Pope Francis’ pontificate such as synodality, concern for migrants, and care for the common home.
In 2024, Cardinal Aguiar Retes consecrated the Archdiocese of Mexico to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and blessed an image of St Michael the Archangel, to whom, he said, “we turn for the grace to persevere in the faith, to lead us on the path of holiness and to increase our love for the Eucharist, while we turn to him for our conversion and that of the whole world.” The cardinal’s eloquent words regarding the Archangel Michael and his role as protector of the universal Church are particularly striking, as this is a devotion closely related to more traditional practices. These gestures and words offer a key to reading the importance that Aguiar Retes attaches to his role of bringing and promoting the sanctification of his people. He encourages the faithful to pursue a life of holiness through perseverance and love of the Eucharist.
Aware of the changes that have taken place in contemporary and often anti-Christian culture, Cardinal Aguiar Retes presents a hopeful path and maintains that the rupture of a culture is not the end. Today, he has said, “society is in a moment of transition,” towards a new culture. Therefore, he believes that “we must see the change of era as an opportunity for evangelization.”
Views on the Sacraments
Cardinal Retes describes the sacraments as channels of grace and truly work in the souls of the faithful what they signify. He has affirmed the reality of transubstantiation, saying “this bread and wine, which we priests consecrate in the name of Jesus, there Jesus himself becomes present, in a mysterious but real way, and that is what we eat.” And again: “The Eucharist makes present the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, is celebrated on the altar, the memorial of Calvary, and communicates the benefits of Redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
On the importance of the liturgy, Cardinal Aguiar affirms that through it worship is offered to God and one enters into a personal relationship with Him: “The way to maintain true worship, and to practice religion fruitfully, is achieved by centering our life on prayer and liturgy for a personal relationship with God, and by exercising love for our neighbor.”
Approach to the Vetus Ordo
While Cardinal Aguiar Retes is not personally inclined to celebrate nor any particular sympathy for the Vetus Ordo, he has maintained the status quo received from Cardinal Rivera. Consequently, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter maintains a house in Mexico City where the traditional Mass is celebrated daily. However, there are no diocesan priests who are authorized to publicly celebrate the Vetus Ordo.
The cardinal has placed strong emphasis on the formation of seminarians and future priests. However, in a seeming reference to institutes that celebrate the traditional Latin Mass, he expressed regret that young people “prefer to take refuge in the traditional ways that were effective, but today, in a secularized world, there are few who respond to these ways.”
Halting Liturgies During Covid-19
During the Covid-19 emergency, the cardinal supported lockdown measures, ordering the churches of his archdiocese to remain closed, and said it was the Church’s responsibility to “give people a sense of direction.” He also urged that the faithful receive Holy Communion in the hand. When, in August 2022, the observance of the Sunday precept was reinstated, he clarified that the faithful could receive Communion either on the tongue or in the hand.
GOVERNING OFFICE
Contrasts With His Predecessor
The appointment of Cardinal Aguiar Retes as Primate of Mexico was widely read as a maneuver by Pope Francis to change the conservative profile that characterized it under Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera. Rivera Carrera was among the thirteen cardinals who wrote to Pope Francis at the start of the second Family Synod in October 2015, denouncing the predetermined results of the final document. The letter of the thirteen cardinals had a significant effect on the final outcome of the synod.
As Primate of Mexico, Cardinal Rivera Carrera had a tense relationship with the Mexican government, given his unyielding defense of the teaching and rights of the Church. Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes’s appointment as primate must be viewed in light of his predecessor.
When Pope Francis created Archbishop Aguiar Retes a cardinal in 2016, choosing him from Tlalnepantla, a rich and influential see on the outskirts of Mexico City, many saw it as a move to challenge Cardinal Rivera. The brusquer temperament of Mexico’s primate would now be balanced with the refinement of the new cardinal, and a channel of dialogue established with the country’s government.
The press and the most progressive sectors of the Mexican Church celebrated the following year when, just six months after Cardinal Rivera turned 75, Cardinal Aguiar Retes was named his successor. The press saw Retes as Pope Francis’ man in Mexico, charged with modernizing the Church and establishing links with politicians after the more conservative period of his predecessor. Ohers argued that Aguiar Retes was “conservative” but had a different style—one more subtle and open to dialogue.
CELAM and Aparecida
Elected secretary general of CELAM (Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano y Caribeño)1 Established in 1955 with headquarters in Bogotá, Colombia, CELAM is a symposium of the bishops’ conferences of Latin America. in 2000 and president in 2011, Retes held the position until 2015. During his presidency, he worked on the promotion of the new evangelization and the organization and implementation of the Aparecida Document, produced at the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, which took place in Aparecida, Brazil in 2007. Then-bishop Retes played a central role in drafting the Aparecida Document and worked closely with Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio to overcome conservative opposition to the text which has had a significant influence on Francis’ pontificate.2The Aparecida Document represented a blueprint for evangelization in Latin America, emphasizing missionary discipleship and joy, and has deeply influenced Pope Francis’ papacy and vision for the Church.
Cardinal Bergoglio chaired the committee that drafted the final document, working closely with Father Víctor Manuel Fernández, now prefect for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. The document was considered to be a great triumph for Bergoglio’s more “progressive” stance, over the more “conservative” positions embodied by the Archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, who voted against the approval of the text. As secretary general of CELAM, Aguiar Retes worked with Bergoglio, thus succeeding in overcoming the conservative opposition.
Relationship with the Mexican Government
The pastoral governance of the primate of Mexico has a twofold dimension: the exercise of the spiritual power on the one hand, and on the other, his relationship with Mexico’s government, which is strongly anti-clerical. This relationship over the last forty years has been dynamic and multifaceted. It has gone through stages of conflict and cooperation, with significant reforms in the 1990s that redefined the relationship. Cardinal Aguiar has kept a low profile in this regard, avoiding confrontation.
However, Cardinal Retes’ links with key figures in Mexican politics are well known. As archbishop of Tlalnepantla, he was openly friendly with the governor of the state, Enrique Peña Nieto, who would become president of Mexico shortly thereafter. Interestingly both would become the highest exponents of the government and the Church in Mexico: Peña Nieto beginning his presidency in 2012; Aguiar Retes acceding to the primate see in 2017. More generally, from a political point of view, Retes’ closeness to Peña Nieto links him to what was the prevailing political party in Mexico for seven decades: the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), a party that had a considerable influence on Mexican politics.
However, in 2021, when Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice ruled to decriminalize abortion, Cardinal Aguiar Retes spoke out strongly in defense of life, affirming that every human being is sacred and is created by God in the womb from the moment of conception, and that an attack on life is therefore an attack on God.
On June 2, 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum, the daughter of Jewish communists and herself a left-wing militant, was elected president of Mexico. Shortly afterwards, Cardinal Aguiar Retes met with the president-elect and presented her with a series of proposals for her government, which focused on issues of social and moral interest, seeking to collaborate with the government to improve the quality of life of the citizens.
Pastoral Government of the Archdiocese of Mexico
Cardinal Aguiar Retes is faced with a complex and challenging task in governing the archdiocese of Mexico, given that it is the largest archdiocese in the world after Manila. It has a population of 5,500,000 inhabitants, more than 90% of whom are Catholic. It has 1,422 priests and 306 parishes. It is also assisted by seven auxiliary bishops.
Given the sheer size of the diocese, Cardinal Aguiar has devoted particular attention to fostering priestly and religious vocations, although the number of priests has fallen during his tenure, dropping from 1,680 in 2016 to 1,422 in 2021, and the number of female and male religious falling 20%-25% over the same period. He has stated openly that the ministerial priesthood cannot be replaced by the common priesthood of the faithful.
One of Cardinal Aguiar’s most important and controversial measures was the subdivision of the Archdiocese of Mexico into three new dioceses. The decision was approved by Pope Francis in 2019. The decision caused serious conflict for the cardinal as some saw the move as imposing a business model on pastoral care and as a blow to parish economies.
Handling of Clerical Sex Abuse
One of the tasks Cardinal Aguiar Retes had to deal with as soon as he took charge of the archdiocese was handing clerical sex abuse cases. Some sectors of the press criticized him for not attributing to these cases the importance they deserved. A similar situation took place several years earlier when, during Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Mexico, the Pope did not meet with the victims of disgraced Legionary founder Marcial Maciel. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi responded, saying the meeting was not on the agenda proposed by the Mexican Episcopal Conference, whose president at the time was Aguiar Retes. For this part, Retes offered a cryptic answer to the press, stating that the “victims are only visible to the media.”
However, on other occasions he has shown a commitment to a “zero tolerance” policy towards clerical sexual abuse, stressing that any cases of abuse must be treated with the utmost seriousness and that those responsible must be held accountable for their actions. Just eleven days after taking office as archbishop of Mexico City, Aguiar had to respond to a serious allegation of abuse against one of his priests. He immediately applied precautionary measures against the accused priest and placed himself at the disposal of civil authorities. He allowed the case to be made public, although the identities of those involved were withheld, and guaranteed zero tolerance.”
Less Welcoming Policy
According to an archdiocesan source, one of the main contrasts between the previous archbishop, Norberto Rivera, and Cardinal Aguiar Retes, concerns the welcoming policy towards other Church communities and individuals. Under Cardinal Rivera, the archdiocese freely received many such communities, from the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter to the schismatic Orthodox (to whom he gave a church), to priests and seminarians from outside the diocese. Cardinal Aguiar, on the other hand, has preserved the communities already present, but has significantly minimized welcoming new communities and individuals, and has been particularly unresponsive to priests and seminarians from outside the diocese, or those who have undergone diverse formative experiences. In this sense, the attitude of the current Primate corresponds to the directives of Pope Francis and the Dicastery for the Clergy, which have strictly discouraged the “recycling of seminarians” and take a dim view of diocesan vocations migrating to territories other than their territory of origin. Proof of such an attitude were the measures taken in 2016 against the diocese of Albenga-Imperia (Liguria, Italy), where the local ordinary, Bishop Mario Olivieri, had a policy similar to that of Cardinal Rivera, which earned him an early retirement.
Financial Controversies
In a so-called “protocol of the dead,” as Primate of Mexico, Cardinal Aguiar imposed a “monthly tax” on all the parishes in his territory. This was an obligation placed on the diocesan clergy to bequeath their goods, by testamentary means, to the archdiocese. The measure also foresaw a series of provisions in which the archdiocese could intervene to expropriate parish goods in the event of the death of the parish priest — a measure that was widely criticized by experts in both civil and canon law. In a further tax on parishes (Reordenación económica de las diversas estructuras de la Arquidiócesis de México), the archdiocese requisitioned a monthly fee (in some cases around the equivalent of US $2000) from all the parishes in its territory, to supply the episcopal coffers. The decree foresaw, in theory, diocesan support to the parishes, restoration projects, medical insurance, but parties who were targeted said it was a smoke screen. Those who resisted were threatened with dismissal if they did not conform to the measure.
The Case of Medical Assistance
In addition to the controversies surrounding the “protocol of the dead” and “tax” on parishes, another financial controversy emerged in 2021 when Cardinal Rivera fell seriously ill with COVID and was hospitalized. After spending several days in hospital, and to the great surprise of the archbishop emeritus, he began to receive bills for his medical expenses. How was this possible? Was the cardinal not enrolled in a medical insurance policy with the archdiocese? It turned out that neither Cardinal Rivera nor the other priests of the archdiocese had such a policy. The clergy then discovered that the curia had stopped paying the medical insurance and so they were not protected by medical assistance which has been promised them. The revelation served to confirm the suspicions and concerns of the archdiocesan clergy about the tax imposed on them by Cardinal Aguiar Retes. The resources collected through parish contributions were supposed to finance the payment of medical expenses, but these were not only not financed by the amount collected, but payment for the policies had been halted, deceiving the priests of the archdiocese. The episode provoked considerable criticism and opposition to Cardinal Retes.
Cardinal Aguiar Retes has participated in the Synod on the New Evangelization (2012); Synod on the Family (2014-2015); Synod on Youth (2018); Synod on Amazon (2019) and the Synod on Synodality (2023-2024). At the Amazon Synod, he gave his place as one of the drafters of the final document to a Synod Father from one of the seven Bishops Conferences directly involved in the region.
TEACHING OFFICE
Cardinal Aguiar Retes, who aspired to the academic life, is an active teacher and preacher of the faith, especially in his Sunday homilies. He is often explicit and clear in affirming the fundamental points of the Catholic faith, teaching the most important truths of the faith in a mostly orthodox manner in accordance with Tradition and the Magisterium.
The Cardinal has affirmed the divine inspiration of Scripture, stressing that the Bible is the voice of God, living and effective. He has emphasized that Jesus Christ is the Incarnate Word of God and that, through the Gospels, the faithful can know the will of the heavenly Father. According to Aguiar Retes, the Bible is not only a book of history, but a spiritual guide that penetrates the heart of man and orients his life.
Allegiance to Pope Francis
One of Cardinal Aguiar’s key traits is his constant mention Pope Francis and his magisterium, and his opposition to the criticism he receives, which he regards as superficial and unjustified. He has even expressed opposition to those who criticized the exaltation of the Pachamama during the Amazon Synod, describing them, along with those who deny climate change, as the “black sheep” of the Church.
These references to the pontiff, as well as the concordance of ideas, and a certain imitation of the Argentine Pope’s style, have led the cardinal to be known as the “Mexican Francis.”
Religious Freedom
Religious freedom has been a regular theme of Cardinal Aguiar Retes. In 2012, the Chamber of Deputies approved a constitutional reform of Article 24, concerning religious freedom; the key point of the reform consisted in the further accentuation of the “secular” character of the Mexican Republic, in a clear juridical emulation of the French secular state. The cardinal, then president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference, was in favor of the constitutional reform, which earned him criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church. In this sense, the cardinal’s diplomatic position is reminiscent of the conciliatory positions of many European bishops, especially in France, in similar circumstances, and illustrates an essential element of his character: pragmatism.
The New Evangelization
One of the concerns that comes up most frequently in Cardinal Aguiar’s teaching is the problem of the transmission of the faith. He has noted that the lack of a consensus of values has prioritized subjectivism and relativism, which represents a significant challenge for the transmission of faith in today’s world. In his view, however, the change of era is not a threat, but rather an opportunity for evangelization. He has stressed the need for a change of perspective, suggesting that current difficulties, such as doctrinal relativism, can be turned into opportunities for transmitting the Word of God more effectively.
One of the concrete strategies he proposes for combatting relativism is the strengthening of faith, especially in young people. The means for doing so, he says, are prayer, participation in the sacramental life and formation. The cardinal stresses that these elements are fundamental for young people to be able to face the challenges of modern life with a solid foundation in their faith.
The cardinal chairs the Academy of Catholic Leaders through which he has established the International Network of Catholic Women for a New Feminism, whose mission is to promote, develop and implement reflections and concrete actions for a new feminism based Catholic Social Teaching. He opposes radical feminism and gender theory, affirming that “By making us male and female [God] made us distinct in order to express in a different and complementary way the aspects of divinity.”
Positive on Liberation Theology
The Church in Mexico is quite peculiar in the Latin American context. It suffered a horrendous persecution in relatively recent history through the so-called “Cristero War” (1926-1929) that was unleashed by anti-religious laws. This war left many martyrs, some of them canonized, and led to the establishment of an anti-clerical government in Mexico. Countless constitutional restrictions were issued, prohibiting the Church from intervening in education, restricting religious acts to only inside church walls, and prohibiting the existence of religious orders. Today, more priests are killed every year in Mexico by drug cartels than anywhere else in the world. All this has made it a “conservative” Church by nature, suspicious of any revolutionary process and one attached to tradition, a “Church of resistance.” Liberation Theology, which wreaked havoc throughout Latin America, has therefore left little trace in Mexico.
And yet, as this topic is particularly close to Pope Francis, Cardinal Aguiar Retes prefers to adopt an ambiguous stance. Although liberation theology was condemned by Pope John Paul II, it was by no means eradicated from the continent. Retes has a positive view of Liberation theology, especially in its present form, with he understands as having a biblical and spiritual basis.
In a 2014 interview, the Cardinal stressed that, although in the past there was a current of Liberation Theology that developed using Marxist sociological analysis and led to an ideologization of the Gospel message, today this theology has been reoriented. Thanks to the efforts of many theologians, bishops and pastoralists, he believes Liberation Theology has been redirected towards a biblical-spiritual basis. This shift, he says, has been influenced by theologians such as Gustavo Gutiérrez. Therefore, he considers this theology to be a valuable contribution to the life of the Church. According to the Cardinal, Liberation Theology with a biblical-spiritual basis “has helped a lot in this reorientation” and is “now a contribution to the life of the Church’.
Same-sex “Marriage” and Abortion
With regard to the issue of homosexuality and the alleged rights of people with this inclination, he has very openly stated that he approves of same-sex civil unions. Indeed, following the documentary released in 2020, entitled Francesco, in which Pope Francis stated that “homosexuals have the right to be in the family. They are children of God and have the right to a family. What we have to do is make a law of civil cohabitation, they have the right to be legally covered,” Cardinal Aguiar Retes expressed himself informally and quickly to be “in agreement with the Pope; very much in agreement”. These words were interpreted by all the media as Cardinal Aguiar supporting civil union for people of the same sex, which was not denied by the cardinal. When “same-sex marriage” legislation was enacted in Mexico, the Cardinal made no known statement on the matter.
Following a policy similar to that of Pope Francis on the issue of abortion, Aguiar has tried to present the issue in a positive light, beyond his opposition to it. When asked about abortion, he has responded, “What is more important: that we seek a law that no longer facilitates it [abortion] and that they tell us that we are retrograde and that we are not with modern development or that we make our community aware of the great harm that abortion does to women?” He continued, “What is stronger: that the cardinal simply says ‘no’ to abortion or that we present the testimony of these women before the media, that they say how they feel now about having had an abortion?’
Defender of Catholic Social Doctrine
Cardinal Aguiar has spoken out frequently regarding the social teaching of the Catholic Church. In this regard, he has stressed the importance of training the laity in Catholic social teaching and has given his support to the Mexican Institute of Christian Social Doctrine (Imdosoc) to promote Christian social thought. In addition, he has emphasized the need to return to the dignity of the person and prioritize ‘being’, helping especially those most in need.
Fratelli Tutti
Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes has praised Pope Francis’ 2020 encyclical on fraternity and social friendship, Fratelli Tutti, on several occasions, highlighting what he views as its relevance for contemporary politics and society. In his reflections, the cardinal underlined the need to rehabilitate politics as a “very high vocation’ at the service of the common good, and emphasized the importance of inclusive social, political and economic participation. Through platforms such as The Bishop’s Voice on Facebook Live, he has promoted the study and application of Fratelli Tutti, urging politicians to reflect on the real impact of their work on society, and to work for policies that truly reform institutions. Such action demonstrates the cardinal’s commitment to spreading the teachings of Pope Francis and applying them in the daily lives of the faithful.
Climate Change
Cardinal Aguiar has expressed concerns about climate change, most notably at the Amazon synod in 2019: “Our common home is at risk, and it is urgent to act. That is why the central theme, on which we all agreed in the synod hall, is that of an integral ecology and the need for an ecological conversion. That is the central point, we all agree on that: that the Church has to be a factor generating awareness to care for our common home.”
- 1Established in 1955 with headquarters in Bogotá, Colombia, CELAM is a symposium of the bishops’ conferences of Latin America.
- 2The Aparecida Document represented a blueprint for evangelization in Latin America, emphasizing missionary discipleship and joy, and has deeply influenced Pope Francis’ papacy and vision for the Church.
